I’m a big fan of Dogfish Head’s Raison d’Etra, the less potent version of this beer. I’ve enjoyed it on several occasions. So when I finally had a chance to try this more hard hitting version of it last year on tap at Capital Ale House in Richmond, VA before a friend’s wedding, I jumped at the opportunity. About the only thing I really remember of that glass of beer was the punch from the alcohol. It hit hard, but still had the sweetness from the raisins used in brewing it.
Now, a year later, I have finally found d’Extra in bottle. And, of course, I purchased a couple. It’s hard to compare the drought version to the bottle due to the length of time between tastings and the lack of notes from the first go around. So we’ll just work with the bottle version and pray that it lives up to my altered memory of the first time I enjoyed it.
Aroma
The d’Extra has plenty of sweetness and heat to the aroma. I think the beer was chilled a little too long as the raisin scent was a bit weak. I did notice as it warmed that the smells got stronger.
Appearance
The beer pours a ruby red with light carbonation activity. The head was large and cream in color, but quickly faded to thin and sparse lacing.
Taste
Weighing in at about 18-20% ABV, this beer is all alcohol. The raisin is there as is the sweetness. There is a hint of spice in there, but the alcohol is so up front that it’s hard to find much else. The finish is quite warming.
Overall
This is an excellent beer and one I can see enjoying again and again, but in limited quantity. The above average alcohol level will definitely cause this to be an after dinner drink or slide into the roll of a late night winter warmer. Rating: 3.5/5
